Lawsuit targets city of Burlington after noncitizen voting charter change [Video]

The right to cast a ballot and weigh in on local issues has been a point of contention for years.”It is the case that states have discretion to decide whether noncitizens can vote in local elections for things like town councils and for school boards,” said Ron Seyb, a political expert from Skidmore College.While noncitizen voting isn’t allowed in federal elections, Vermont is one of three states that allows municipalities to decide if documented, legal residents can participate in their local elections.Last year, the state legislature overrode Governor Phil Scott’s veto.Now, two Burlington residents are taking issue with the move.Last week, they filed a lawsuit against the city of Burlington over the recent charter change that local voters approved in 2023.Back by a nationally recognized conservative group, Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections, they claim that non-citizen voting violates a part of the Vermont State Constitution and the requirement for …